As Lewis Black has said, anticipation is better than the actual moment itself. Well, to me, anticipating playing a hockey game has been a reflection of this. Before every game, I know its going to be a good game. I may not feel the best, and I may not be motivated to do well for various reasons, but I know that its going to be a good game. Playoffs have always been a little different. I have always wanted to do well in playoffs and I have had many fun playoff games where I have done well. On the flip side, when I have done poorly, I tended to kick myself a little too hard (and sometimes not hard enough).
After an unprecedented run of success, I promised myself I would never complain about success in playoffs again. About 5 months ago, I went from on the brink and not playing anymore due to my knees to a full season of pain free hockey. Three months after the procedure, I am a new player. I embraced a new attitude when playing hockey. I started playing with friends have never played with before. I have enjoyed hockey more this season than I have in a long time.
I have had a measure of success as well. Marketlab placed first in the division. Who Cares placed 3rd in the division. Both teams earned playoff games and I am very happy about that. No matter what happens on Saturday, I am going to sleep tomorrow night with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
After playing that big game with Marketlab on Thursday last week, I haven’t played another game since. Missed my game on Tuesday because I was working late, but maybe that is a blessing in disguise. My body has had a chance to heal up quite a bit in the last week. At the time time, my desire to play hockey has been rekindled a bit.
Today I was hanging clothes in my closet and came across my hockey jerseys. Some of them like my Chris Kunitz signed jersey brought back a lot of memories. So did my Grand Rapids All Stars jersey. Playing against those ex Red Wings players was in fact the opportunity of a lifetime. Then I came across a yellow mesh jersey and I remembered the first team I ever played on, the Killer Bees. I don’t remember the captain anymore, but I will never forget that name or some of the teammates I played with. Some of them are still playing today. Others I haven’t seen since I left that outdoor roller rink.
I guess a little time away is a good thing every now and again. It allows me to reflect on what has happened, is happening, and what is coming down the road. It also has allowed me to recharge my batteries and get ready for the most important 2 weeks leading up to the playoffs in a few weeks.
This playoff run I am going on now is quite special. It will be my last time suiting up for Marketlab. My last time suiting up in the top division. My last chance to cement myself as a champion in the top division. To go out on top really would make things right in my world. The key will be delivering on that. Of course, so much depends on my team and who shows up for these important games including playoffs. Right now, my mind is on finishing the season strong.
Gotta sleep. So much to do tomorrow.
With the 4th of July holiday approaching, it is not hockey I look forward to but the break that I have around the holiday. My MBA class is over for the semester as well, which means all I will be doing is heading home after work and resting. I need a slight break after everything I have been up to.
My MBA class was only the tip of the iceberg. I scored a B+ in BUSN650 which is very respectable. I still have 9 classes to go and won’t graduate until 2013, but that is just fine. With so many other things in the mix right now, getting my MBA is not my main goal.
Hockey has treated me very well as of late. Who Cares started out with a 1-4 record, and we have moved up to 3-5 with an outside chance to make playoffs. My Marketlab team continues to do well as we beat the top team in the division last night. With 2 games to go, if we win 1 of the next 2 we should capture our first division championship since Winter 2009 when the top teams came down to play in our division. Now all we have to do is get all our players to show up on playoff Saturday and I will be quite happy.
Ice hockey has treated me well too. We won our first game last week and I feel that we are finally turning the corner. This division is not a beginner division, but I think we will have a few more wins before its all said and done. The real fun is playing ice with good friends that I have known for a long time.
Now, I turn to the break. I have ice hockey on Tuesday next week, but that will be my last game for over a week. Time to let my body heal up, and boy do I need it. My brother plays as much as I do and he told me yesterday that he is all beat up. Well, the difference is that my body is not only beat up, but I am sore for days afterward. Yesterday during my game, when I went down in butterfly I felt a few muscles in my legs rebel against me a bit. It was my 3rd game in a row, and was quite glad it was over. Today, I don’t feel like doing much physically. Thankfully, I have a desk job.
I have a packed weekend with a little work, some relaxing at home, a wedding on Saturday, and lots of sleep around that. Ah, its the simple things in life you treasure.
Over the course of the last month, I have had a lot of things that I have felt like blogging about but then in the end, I just forget about them. I should use this space more often to jot my feelings and thoughts down on, but instead it has become more of a “when I have time” thing and that isn’t right.
Things are going well.
- I have a job that I love in this difficult economy.
- I am still playing hockey. Its been over 5 weeks of pain free hockey actually since I went to the specialist and had gel injected in my knees. Its the most liberating feeling knowing that I will be able to do what I love to do.
- I am still working on my MBA classes. At this rate, I won’t graduate until 2013, but I am fine with that. I have so much to keep me busy that graduating is really far down on my list of urgent things to accomplish.
- I am really looking forward to reffing again in October. I think I found something that I really love doing and I can’t wait to take on another season on the ice and ref more kids games. This year, I can do more higher level games provided I pass my level 2 certification. With a little dedication, I will make it.
- In what time I have left, I am really enjoying playing a few games I have bought and spending time learning about new technology. I guess i am a geek at heart.
I just wish hockey has been more kind to my teams that I am on. Who Cares is sitting with a 1-4 record, and the record does not reflect how we have been playing. We have lost 3 1-goal games and 1 2-goal game. We lost to the Phantoms on Wednesday 1-0. If we could find the back of the net, we would be in great shape. As it turns out, unless we have a strong 2nd half of the season, we could be watching the playoffs instead of in them.
Marketlab has been doing well sitting on a 4-1 record. We had a tough loss on Thursday to the defending champions, but we were lacking a few players that normally play with us. We will do better against them next time.
With so many great things happening right now, its hard for me to say that I am disappointed about something, but I am. If I am disappointed about anything, its how I have struggled in games that count. As I have gotten older, I have learned that I don’t move as fast as I used to. I also know that I should be playing more to my level. This might possibly be my last season in the top Thursday division. Sure, my team is 4-1, but when our best players leave, I might have no choice but to move down which may kill my team in the process. I don’t know what will happen, but with 5 weeks left plus playoffs, I am looking at this as my last shot in the Thursday intermediate/advanced division to get something out of it.
After a disappointing and painful playoffs last season, I was going to “drive to get better”. The specialist was only the first step. After getting the gel fluid regulated in my knees, and spending a week stretching out, I returned to play in a tournament at Laser Skate. I had a good team in front of me, and we went 3-1 taking 1st place. It was the first time I have every won a tournament championship. The last time I came close was back about eight years ago when my team made the finals and lost. I got a plaque for “best goalie” in the division because of my play in the tournament. No best goalie awards for me this time around though. I didn’t deserve any as I was still slow to go down in my butterfly.
Ice hockey has gone a bit better as of late. My first game back in ice hockey we lost and that was because I was so hesitant to drop into my butterfly. Last night, in my second ice hockey game, I was much improved after playing in that tournament over the weekend. If I get a win next weekend, my team will finish 5-3 which is the goal I set for myself at the beginning of the season.
I am really looking forward to rollerhockey starting up later this week.
Playoffs were a disappointment as both my teams came up short this season. In both semifinal games, both my teams scored a grand total of a single goal. We were shutout 3-0 in my Aluminum semifinal game with Who Cares. Marketlab lost 4-1 in a very tough semifinal game. I did win my quarterfinal game 5-0 which was great for my psyche, but still, coming up short is coming up short.
The really sad part is that I couldn’t physically play my Marketlab game because I was in bad shape. My knees really ached after losing 3-0 in the first semifinal game. I put my brother in at that point, but it was the first time that I gave up a game like that in the playoffs. Very disappointing. Not only for the loss, but for the fact that I could not play.
I now have an exercise regimen. My knees are much better today because of not only therapy but additional gel injections. I have been told to stay off the ice and avoid playing goalie for 1 week. Keep exercising and stretching. I am going to give it a go next week which will be my first game in over a week. I will be a little rusty, but I am looking forward to a pain free experience playing hockey. That in itself would be a huge improvement.
At the beginning of the year, I was hoping that I would achieve 30 championships in hockey. I am hanging at 27 and having failed 2 times in a row after doing so well in the regular season, I have a lot to prove this season. It is my hope that I can get 100% better this season and play the best hockey I have played in years. A pain free season would do wonders for my confidence as well as my goaltending ability.
I am also making a promise not to set goals for championships anymore. Sure, its nice to win. At the same time though, its not the goal anymore. No one will remember the championships my teams have won. All the achievements are going away for me. Now its all about playing with friends.
So now I have a drive to get better. Not only physically, but mentally stronger.
With one game remaining, both of my teams have limped into playoffs. The key being “limped into” as that both my teams have made it and what a successful season it has been. Who Cares secured a division crown which is something I am very proud of. A team that we just threw together after half our team left from last season. I am very proud of this team. Marketlab also did very well by placing 3rd or 4th. For a team that was built to play in Brass and ends up playing in Copper, thats more than I ever could have ever expected.
The only downside is that my teams haven’t really played to their potential. Starting with me in net, I really haven’t played very well. At the same time though, my teams haven’t brought their A games. I am expecting a big game on Thursday from Marketlab and then a strong day on Saturday in playoffs.
After having so much playoff success, I have nothing to worry about. I remember what it was like when I won my first championship. Now, I will take the success when I can get it. Its all about playing with my friends.
Speaking of playing, it was great to play without pain today. First time in over 5 months! The gel injections into my knees was a huge improvement. At the same time though, I still have pressure on both kneecaps that just drove me nuts. I was told to wait a few days before drawing a conclusion. If it is bad tomorrow, I will make some adjustments for playoffs on Saturday, and then get some fluid removed on Monday. Looking forward to more pain free games.
I have my home theater PC built and its ready for the Ceton card when it comes in the mail at the end of May. I will have more on this later when I get the card.
Thursday night hockey was brutal last week. We were outplayed from the start and lost 6-4. It was a game we should have won, but instead we looked horrible out there. What’s worse is the fact that we lost to a team with only 4 guys who cycled the puck around us for the entire game. What a miserable game.
After Thursday’s debacle, I really was feeling pretty low. So with my teams help on Monday in ice hockey, I pitched a shutout. I played decent, but my team really worked hard out there. Without them it never would have been possible.
My teams are doing very well this season overall. My Monday team is 2-0. Who Cares has only lost once in OT. Marketlab is in a firm playoff position. The Kodiaks are playing decent considering the competition they are playing against is very stiff. I may be playing my final game for them this season on Friday since the Griffins final home game is next week Friday.
When I started this blog, I was planning on blogging about my hockey escapades. Then, after I was given some crappy news about my knees, I got away from that. Maybe I have been overly nervous about how my hockey future will be affected. Either way, its time to get back to my roots and start talking about hockey.
I had a pretty nasty shot go off my glove, where my fingertips are at on Friday. Normally, I get a few of these stingers every now and again. This time, it was pretty painful. Friday night was the worst, but thanks to Ibuprofen, it is getting better. I was just fine on Monday except for some discoloration and I couldn’t flex it all the way. So I played on Monday and as Murphy’s Law would have it, I took my first shot off the same finger. It still hurts today, but I should be ok to play tonight.
I started playing ice hockey on a new team on Monday for the next eight weeks. Since Friday nights aren’t working for me schedule wise, I thought this would be a good way to get some goaltending in. I played a very good game in a 3-2 victory on Monday. In this short 8 game season, I will be happy if we finish 5-3. I am one win closer to that 5 win goal.
Who Cares continues to roll on and same with Marketlab. With 4 games remaining for each team, I have high hopes we will do very well come playoff time. I am very much looking forward to finishing strong for both teams.
After I got that recommendation from my doctor to stop playing hockey, I sought out a second opinion from a specialist. In the meantime, the last few weeks have been a long hard road needless to say. I have had more than a few sleepless nights just waiting to get in to see him. The day finally came on Friday when I walked in to get the news I had been searching for.
I have a degenerative condition in my knees which is causing my cartilage to break down. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I am double jointed in my knees and the years of hockey I have been playing has taken its toll. Some of it has to do with age. After dealing with a grinding feeling in my knees for the last year, I decided to have them looked at and do something about it.
The specialist said that this kind of condition is really not reversible, but there are options besides what the last doctor recommended. His recommendation was to stop playing hockey and opt for Viscosupplementation which is injections of gel into the knees.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/viscosupplementation/hic_what_is_viscosupplementation.aspx
The whole idea of stopping playing goalie was to halt the degenerative condition. The gel injections would cushion the knee and then I would be good to go for an extended period of time. I could still skate, but bending my knees in the same way would be causing more harm than good.
My current specialist has indicated that the injections would be suitable for me to keep playing for a long time to come IF they have a positive effect. The whole procedure is still controversial. Some people experience total relief and continue to exercise and operate at a high level. Others feel nothing different and have to go onto other means of treatment. Another thing I will be doing is going to the doctors office more often. Each treatment is 3 injections. If I am still playing, thats 3 injections that I could be having per month. Just based on how much gel remains in my knees from one week to the next.
So, start with the gel injection, see how my knees react and then make adjustments from there. I can handle that. Its a heck of a lot better than, “Stop playing and do something else.”
First appointment is in about a month.
